You Found Me
by justagirlfromcali
Summary: Colleen Grant was one of the original visitors for Jurassic Park over twenty-years ago. After being invited to Jurassic World with her two sons, Zach and Gray, history unfortunately repeats itself.
1. Chapter 1

Christmas; such a frustrating yet joyful holiday. Well, more frustrating than joyful, for me at least. The 25th was around the corner and I haven't gotten the chance to buy proper gifts for my sons. Managing Bellagio Hotel & Casino is not exactly the easiest job in the world, it kicks my ass although it pays well.

The worst fear of mine; I've become a workaholic. God, I've turned into my father. Before he retired for his own good, he used to be a paleontologist, digging up fossils in desert locations. His entire life was focused on his work, barely any time for me when I was younger.

Regrettably, I don't have much time for my two boys. My oldest, Zach, turned sixteen not very long ago. I feel very isolated from him; when I do spend time with him, he rarely conversates with me and instead spends time on his stupid iPhone that I never should've gotten him. When I was his age, I didn't have my own iPhone; hell, they didn't even exist back then. All he cares about is his phone and girlfriend, whom I'm not very impressed with. She's blonde and her name is Hannah; I don't believe in stereotypes, but wow, that girl is an airhead. I wish that Zach would look past beauty, and instead find a girl who's smart and intelligent. Yeah, like that's ever going to happen.

My youngest, Gray; he's a doll. I adore him and his chipmunk cheeks and his beautiful blue eyes. I'd have to say I'm definitely most closest with him. Although it sucks to be working all the time; it breaks my heart since he's very sensitive about me working every day of the week. Sometimes, I'll get an occasional Sunday off but only if I'm lucky.

Now Christmas was approaching very soon, but like I previously explained, I haven't gotten the time for Christmas shopping. I didn't even know what to get the boys this year. If only I could get Zach a brain and Gray some courage, but that's probably asking too much. I also had to figure out what "Santa" was going to get for the boys as well. Ah, Christmas; how I loathe thee.

After another eventful day at work, I arrived home around six. Snow began gently cascading from the dark sky, blanketing the streets in a thick layer. Carefully, making sure to not kill myself in the process, I exited my finally paid off Mercedes-Benz CLA Coupe. My stilettos clicked rhythmically against the cold pavement as I huddled my trench coat over my Bellagio uniform, making sure not to ruin it from the droplets of snow.

My beautiful two-story home waited for me to come inside and take a nice, luxurious bubble bath and have a nice glass of Corbett Canyon. As soon as I entered the house, I was immediately greeted by Gray, whom I noticed was waiting on the bottom of the staircase that was in front of the door.

"Hey, mom!"

I was in the middle of stripping off my trench coat when Gray raced over and wrapped his little arms around me, burying his face in my belly. The abrupt force of him almost knocked me over.

"And hello to you too, sweetheart," I laughed and hugged him briefly. "God, you're getting so big; you almost succeeded in knocking me over."

"Yeah, mom, didn't you hear? Diana said I've grown a couple inches in the past few weeks!" Gray said excitedly.

"Oh, did she? Wow, you must be getting a growth spurt!"

"Sure am," he beamed proudly up at me; god, he's adorable.

"Here, why don't you give mommy a few moments to get this uniform off and we can relax and watch a movie together before it's past your bedtime, how does that sound?"

"Mom, I'm ten years old. And it's Christmas break. There's no school so I don't see the the point of having a bedtime," he argued.

"Yes, but I have work early in the morning, therefore you go to bed when I go to bed."

"Why does Zach get to stay up late?"

"Zach is older."

"He gets away with everything."

"That's not true."

"How would you know? You're never around."

I didn't argue, all I could do was stare down at Gray stupidly, my mouth parted open in slight shock. I mean, it was no surprise I worked so much; but having to hear those words come from my youngest's mouth really brought me to reality.

Before I could respond, Gray looked up at me with those big puppy dog eyes and then he turned and sprinted up the stairs. His face filled with sadness, I couldn't bear to see that. That really threw me off-guard, my son never called me out on not being around in their lives that much.

I realized I've been standing in the same spot for a minute so I shrugged off my coat and hung it up nicely on the rack that stood properly adjacent to the front door. I released a deep sigh as I turned left to go to the kitchen.

As usual, my housekeeper and nanny, Diana was busy with dinner. Curiously, I took a peek over her shoulder. Spaghetti and meatballs, yum. My favorite.

"Good evening, Ms. Grant," Diana said with a soft smile. She was an older woman in her fifties with cropped gray hair and pale blue eyes.

"Diana, please. You've been slaving over a hot stove for over ten years in this household; you can call me Colleen."

Her eyes gleamed as she replied, "I assume work did a number on you today, Ms. Grant."

Instead of reprimanding her about formalities, I responded tiredly, "Everyday, it seems like. It's just been so busy, especially with Christmas approaching very quickly; lots of vacationers coming to gamble all their money away in Vegas."

"Oh, yes. I remember being young and spending my time in the casinos," she reminiscenced.

"Yeah. I need to do something about this, it's getting ridiculous. I rarely spend time with the kids, and even Gray called me out on it."

"Oh, he did, did he?"

"Unfortunately so. We were arguing about his bedtime and he was complaining about Zach being able to stay up and getting away with most things. I told him that wasn't true and Gray said to me "how would you know, you're never around.""

"Oh, Lord."

"He's right though; I can't yell at him for telling the truth. God, I've become my father."

"Perhaps a vacation with your children would be the perfect solution," Diana suggested.

"Vacation?" I blinked.

"Why not? Oh, by the way, some Mr. Masrani left a message for you," Diana explained, absentmindedly stirring the spaghetti sauce.

"Again?" I asked. This Mr. Masrani has been contacting me nonstop for the past couple weeks. Apparently, he's a business owner of some sort.

"Afraid so. He says that it's real important that he talks to you for an opportunity of a lifetime."

Opportunity of a lifetime, my ass.

After Diana finished making dinner and everyone ate, I was inside my home office; dealing with financial paperwork. I felt guilty for not speaking with Gray afterwards but I didn't know how to approach without upsetting him. Gray was a very sensitive child.

As I was finishing up with some paperwork, Diana got me thinking about a family vacation. Would a family vacation really solve all my troubles with my boys? Well, anything could happen, I suppose. Maybe a trip to Disney World would suffice. I haven't taken any sick days off, so I knew that I had plenty of vacation days that I could take off.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

I jumped from the sudden ringing telephone. Who could possibly be calling at seven-thirty? Oh God, it better not be the Bellagio. I'd snap my neck if it was. I glanced at the caller I.D. and internally groaned. It seemed like this Mr. Masrani fellow couldn't take a hint.

Knowing this would lead to a pointless conversation, I decided to answer the phone anyway, about to give this man a piece of my mind.

"Hello, may I please speak with a Ms. Colleen Grant?"

"This is she. Is this Mr. Masrani?"

"Ah, yes, you are correct. Do you have a moment to speak privately, Ms. Grant?"

"Look, Mr. Masrani. I appreciate your politeness and all, but whatever scam you're attempting to set me up with, I'm not interested."

"Oh, no! Ms. Grant, no scam whatsoever! Allow me to explain myself; Simon Masrani, proud owner of the new and improved Jurassic World."

Jurassic World; my blood ran cold from these words. Flashes of the Jurassic Park incident from nearly twenty years ago burned into my mind. I still had an occasional nightmare or two from that horrifying yet thrilling experience.

"Ms. Grant, I understand that twenty-two years ago, you were among one of the first visitors to the underdevelopment Jurassic Park."

"That's correct," I confirmed, my throat suddenly going dry.

"Ms. Grant, I can sense your hesitance but I assure you, it would be such an honorable pleasure of mine to invite you and your sons to Jurassic World."

Wow. I honestly wasn't expecting this sudden invitation.

"Um... I don't know. I mean, I appreciate your invitation, Mr. Masrani, but I'm not sure about this. Last time I went to a dinosaur theme park, I was almost eaten by one of those creatures."

"Of course, I completely understand your predicament; although I must explain to you, our park has been functioning safely for a decade. I assure you, we have the safest security and updated technology to provide a wonderful experience for your family."

I bit my lip, contemplating this offer. I know in a heartbeat, Gray would love this more than anything. He has a strong, passionate love for dinosaurs and is heavily fascinated by them. Zach, being the stubborn teenager he is, probably wouldn't care much, but then again, it may give him the opportunity to stay off his phone and not see his girlfriend for a while.

"Please, Ms. Grant; I would be of most oblige to personally give you a behind the scenes tour of what Jurassic Park should've been."

"Mr. Masrani," I tried.

"Free of expense," he cut me off. I paused for a moment, not sure if I heard him correctly.

"Wait, what?"

"Free of expense," he repeated. "Free traveling expense, free hotel room, free unlimited food and V.I.P. wristbands provided for your kids."

Oh wow. This sounded way too good to be true.

"What's the catch?" I asked in a disbelieving tone of voice.

"No catch. I'm a very generous man, Ms. Grant. Unlike other business men, I don't pine for money and fame. I'm interested in making Hammond's dreams come true. If you don't mind, I'd also love to discuss business with you; I understand your managerial position with the Bellagio."

"Yes," I confirmed.

"Jurassic Suites, I believe, is in dear need of a successful individual with management experience. Of course, I recommended you."

"Oh wow, I appreciate that offer, but-"

"No buts, I advise this conversation to continue in person. Do you accept my proposal?"

I wasn't sure how to respond. His offer was starting to sound more tempting as he spoke. A trip to Jurassic World, free of cost? I've heard of countless people vacationing there, spending almost a year's worth of salary. The pros of this situation: I'd have the chance to spend more time with my sons. The cons of this station: I'd unfortunately be stuck on Isla Nublar with dinosaurs. Let's just hope they don't escape this time. I'd prefer not to run for my life a third time. Especially with my kids. Well, Jurassic World, like Masrani said, has been functioning for ten years without a problem. I was just being paranoid. The chances of history repeating itself are slim, I assured myself.

"Yes, Mr. Masrani. I accept."


	2. Chapter 2

I waited until the day of Christmas to surprise the boys about going on a family vacation to Jurassic World. That was their present for this year. As I predicted, Gray was excited and Zach was annoyed that I didn't buy him an updated iPhone; yeah, like that's ever gonna happen.

My goal for this special vacation is to make sure that Zach stays off his damn phone, away from his girlfriend, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat. God, I hate social media. I mean, of course I'm occasionally on Facebook to stay in contact with friends and family. But I don't stay on those social sites for hours, aimlessly having fun posting selfies or cyber bullying. Maybe I should consider taking away his phone. It is vacation time after all. I grinned evilly at the entertaining thought.

I stayed in contact with Masrani as he made reservations for traveling and hotel purposes. He perfectly made sure that all the expenses were on him, which was very friendly. It's not everyday you are offered a completely free trip to the most expensive theme park in the entire world.

It was precisely three days after Christmas, the day my sons and I were leaving for Jurassic World. Fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly.

All of our luggage was packed and ready to go. My father, famous Dr. Alan Grant, flew in from Montana to spend Christmas with us and now, he was going to drive us to the airport. Of course, he's very reluctant to see us go to that place but I managed to convince him that everything would be fine. I even invited him but he declined, and I perfectly understood why he wouldn't want to go.

"Are you sure you don't want to go, dad? I'm sure the kids would love for you to come with us," I suggested once more, already knowing what his response would be.

Dad stared at me as if I've grown two heads. "You're kidding me, right? Colleen, I'm getting too old for this crap. Twice was enough, thank you."

"Dad, the dinosaurs aren't roaming free around the island, so there's nothing to worry about. Masrani said that everything is perfectly safe."

"Yeah, that's also what Hammond said," dad said doubtfully. I didn't blame him for being so cautious. Truthfully, I was scared out of my wits. But I had a feeling everything would go smoothly, plus I needed this opportunity to get closer with the kids.

"It'll be fine, dad." I kissed his cheek before going back into the house to retrieve my youngest. He was still in his bedroom, of course, playing with one of his toys.

"You ready to go, pumpkin?" I asked in an excited tone to cheer him up which successfully worked.

Gray grinned from ear to ear. "Heck yeah!" He pumped a fist into the air, resulting in a happy laugh from me. I ruffled his thick wavy hair as he skipped past me after I shut his door.

"You fed the monster under your bed?" I asked playfully, teasingly tickling his sides as Gray rolled his eyes.

"Mom, I'm not 9 years old, anymore."

"That's right, you're my brave little 10 year-old warrior," I teased him and he gave me a sweet smile as we exited out of the house.

I rolled my eyes as I noticed Zach on the front lawn, his arms around Hannah's waist, the two love birds too close together. My guess is that they were professing their bullshit love for each other, give me a break. We'd only be gone for like a week.

"Zach, c'mon now, let's get a move on. You're not going to war," dad said, clearly annoyed as I was. Zach looked embarrassed at his grandfather and Hannah only giggled.

"Couldn't have said it better myself, dad," I complimented, laughing a bit before I gave Diana a hug. "Take care of yourself, Di." I kissed her cheek.

"You as well, Ms. Grant," she returned affectionately.

"Kids, get your butts over here and say goodbye to Diana!" I ordered. Gray sped over to his nanny from the car and surprised her with a big bear hug while Zach only trudged over reluctantly and gave her a half-ass hug. I'll have to talk to him about that later, the boy needs to show some more respect to the woman who helped me raise him. Teenagers.

I waved goodbye to Hannah and got in the passenger seat, soon the kids followed after. I turned around in my seat and mockingly pouted at Zach.

"You gonna be okay?" I asked him as if he were a baby. He only rolled his eyes as I continued, "I know it's tough, but you'll survive."

In response he only ignored me and put on those stupid headphones, drowning out the world with his ridiculous loud music.

Dad backed out of the driveway and everyone waved to Diana before we drove off to the airport.

Once we got there, everyone got their bags and we were heading through the security section. Dad hugged everyone and wished us all a good trip and for me to make sure to call him when we land safely.

After our flight ended, we were transported onto a boat that had multiple passengers riding. It was a zoo it was so crowded. I made sure to keep my boys near me so we wouldn't get separated.

The coastal air felt exhilarating against my skin. It was a different more invigorating feeling than the hot and dry Vegas weather that I've grown accustomed to.

"Isn't this exciting?" I beamed, my eyes watching the perfectly blue sparkling water.

"Yes! Oh, thank you, mom! This is the best vacation ever!" Gray hugged me to prove his point. I hugged him, feeling pleased with pride. It was always a good feeling to know that you're doing something right by making your children happy.

"Here, let's take a picture!" I suggested, taking my iPhone out and holding it at arm's length to snap a pic of the three of us.

"Mom, no!" Zach exclaimed in horror, looking incredibly embarrassed. I noticed him checking out one of the girls on this cruise and I inwardly sighed. He better not get into any kind of mischief while we're here. I refuse to tolerate a womanizing son in my family. Growing up, I've met countless of womanizers. If my son thinks he's gonna act like one, he's surely mistaken.

"Oh, Zach, stop being such a baby. This is a family vacation, show a little more excitement. Now get in the picture," I ordered my taller son. He sighed defeated and I got a few pics of all three of us smiling at the camera, creating the illusion that we're one big happy family.

"Zach, you have longer arms than me, hold out the camera and get a few more," I asked as Zach rolled his eyes and did as he was told. His arms extended more, giving us a better view.

"Thank you, pumpkin," I kissed his cheek on purpose, knowing that the girl he was looking at earlier was watching everything in amusement. As I predicted, Zach's face scrunched up and he looked away, clearly embarrassed as the girl and her group of friends began to giggle. The red look on his face was priceless.

Maybe this wouldn't be a bad vacation whatsoever.


	3. Chapter 3

As soon as we departed from the cruise, we were guided into a monorail transportation system. The boys and I sat in a three-seat row; Gray in the middle, Zach by the window, and me out next to the aisle.

Gray was excitedly discussing to me about a brachiosaurus being his favorite when all of a sudden his blue eyes widened in awe. Without my consent, Gray sprinted off to the front of the monorail blending in with a group of equally excited kids.

Nostalgia hit me like a ton of bricks. I recognized the Jurassic World grand entrance. It looked reminiscent compared to the old Jurassic Park entrance. This one was definitely more modern-looking and sleek with blue and silver lettering.

"Merry Christmas, son," I said in awe, reaching for Zach's hand and holding it much to his dismay.

...

Jurassic Suites was a gorgeous hotel. Silver and blue expensive furniture, white marble floors, displays of dinosaur pictures, it was truly beautiful.

After we checked in, a bellhop kindly transported our luggage to our suite. The Bellagio had nothing on this hotel. There was a small kitchen, two California King beds, a flat-screen TV with an XBOX 360, and a huge balcony that gave us a beautiful view of the entire park.

"Wow. Look at this place," I whistled in appreciation.

"It's not bad," Zach said unimpressed, setting his suitcase on the bed. I crossed my arms and looked at my oldest in annoyance. Nothing excited him anymore unless if it was video games or girls.

"Whoa, we have a two-door fridge in the kitchen! Cool!" Gray explored around the hotel, trying to find cool stuff.

"Huh, maybe I should consider replacing the mini-fridges with a two-door instead. Maybe that'll attract more guests," I wondered out-loud as I began to call my dad to let him know that we've arrived safely.

...

"Ms. Grant, I'm pleased to see that you have arrived safely," Masrani smiled warmly as he took my hand and shook it in a graceful, professional manner.

"Yes, my boys and I are very excited to be here. Thank you so much for this rare opportunity," I thanked him enthusiastically as he pulled out my seat for me. An hour after we arrived to the resort, Zach and Gray were given special VIP wristbands so I allowed them to venture off into the park together while I dealt business with the park's owner. Gray wasn't too happy about the idea but I promised to spend the entire day tomorrow with them.

"Please, Ms. Grant, I should be the one thanking you. It truly is a pleasure to meet one of the original visitors from the late Jurassic Park," he beamed, taking a seat directly across from me.

I nodded with a forced smile, attempting not to show my uncomfortability about the tragic past of what was once Jurassic Park. That night still gave me horrific nightmares till this day.

"And might I add too, you look stunning tonight," Masrani complimented. I didn't really do much for my appearance tonight. I was wearing an elegant white cocktail dress with white heels. I was wearing my usual business makeup and I straightened my chestnut brown hair. I wanted to look professional and presentable to the billionaire.

"Thank you," I smiled politely, taking the menu and scanning through the entrees. Masrani invited me to dinner in one of the finest five-star restaurants here in the theme park. The options mainly consisted of seafood and steak. To be honest, I wasn't a big fan of fish due to the gross texture but I kept my mouth shut, not wanting to defend the Indian man. So I decided to go with a steak dish.

After we ordered our food, we began to talk in all different topics with each other. I've come to the conclusion that Masrani is an easy person to converse with and that he's not lusting after money. It's a breath of fresh air knowing that he truly cares about the kids and families experiences here in Jurassic World.

...

It was close around eight o'clock when I returned to the suite. Business dinner with Masrani finished fantastically. He wanted to personally hire me but I told him I'd have to think about it for some time. Like the gentleman he was, he wished for me to take my time.

Much to my dismay, Zach was playing on the XBOX while Gray was reading a book. Although I was relieved that the boys listened to me and returned to the suite once it got dark, I was also incredibly displeased to find Zach wasting his time playing stupid video games. Well at least he wasn't playing on his phone.

"Hey guys," I greeted, kicking off my heels and taking a seat on the bed, exhaustion sweeping over me like a blanket.

"Hey mom," they both replied unison, not taking their eyes off from their activities.

"How was business?" Gray asked.

"Perfect," I responded contently, leaning against the comfy pillows and absentmindedly watching Zach shoot at zombies on TV. "Everything is just perfect," I added, almost like an afterthought.

"Did you guys go check out the rides today?" I asked.

"Yeah, we rode a few," Zach answered in a bored tone, his brown eyes focused on beating the game.

"Mom, it was so cool! We watched a T-Rex eat a goat," Gray exclaimed in a loud, excited tone as he ran and jumped up on my bed.

My stomach churned as I heard my son say these words. I ignored the memories of over twenty years ago and focused on Gray's beautiful eyes, those eyes that reminded me so much of... I pushed that thought away as well.

"Isn't that... something," I finally said after a moment of hesitation. I forced a warm smile and pushed back Gray's thick hair from his face. "You need another haircut soon," I whispered, tapping his nose.

"But I like it like this," he argued.

"If you keep growing it out, you'll look like a girl," Zach commented with a wry smirk in his brother's direction. Gray glared at him.

"Shut up, Zach," I gave him a stern look to which he rolled his eyes at me in return. "And don't roll your eyes at me either, kid. That's getting really old, really fast."

When he didn't acknowledge me, I purposely went to block the TV.

"Mom! I'm about to beat my highscore," he complained, trying to shift in the bed so he can see around me.

"I'm about to beat you if you don't listen to me when I'm talking to you, son," I scolded, crossing my arms.

"I'm not five years old anymore, mom. I'm sixteen and graduating in two years."

"Oh, that's great to know that you remember how old you are. I was almost a bit worried for a while about your math skills considering you're failing your class."

"I'm... not failing."

"Oh, really? Because I just spoke with your teacher after winter finals to learn that you have a 58% F in Algebra?!"

The guilty look on Zach's face said everything. I got him.

"You need to start focusing on your school work, Zach. I'm not playing around. You're a sophomore, in six months, you'll be a junior. After winter break is over, you need to focus on getting back on track with your grades, you hear me?"

Zach didn't respond for a moment, his eyes averted downwards, purposely avoiding my piercing gaze.

"Answer me, young man."

Zach hesitated before he stated, "Yeah."

I visibly relaxed. For a moment, I almost felt guilty for ganging up on him like that especially since we're supposed to be on vacation. But I was getting sick of his 'whatever' attitude and the way he was acting towards his younger brother.

Oh, Lord. I need a drink.

"I'm goin' out." I announced in a tired voice, needing some space away from Zach. "Lock the door behind me." I grabbed a jacket and my heels.

"Where are you going?" Gray asked innocently as he followed me to the door.

"I just need some fresh air." I assured him, ruffling his hair. "Be right back, be good you two," I mostly directed this towards Zach who was still brooding before I shut the door behind me.

Ah, Margaritaville, here I come.

...

Thank you for all the lovely reviews! I apologize if this is boring so far. I just need to set up a little bit of background on Colleen and her family. Hope I'm doing an okay job, I admit I'm not the greatest writer, but I try. There will be more excitement in the next chapter. Thank you for reading and please review xoxo


	4. Chapter 4

"Bay Breeze, please," I ordered, making myself comfortable in the Margaritaville bar.

"Here you go," a swift moment later, the cute bartender handed me my drink. I was about to thank him for his service when he stared at me kind of funny. "You look awfully familiar, have I seen you on TV or something?" he asked curiously.

"Um, no, I don't think so. Although I've been mistaken as Rachel McAdams a lot, so maybe that's why," I easily lied, not wanting the attention.

"I have no clue who that is," the bartender stated bluntly.

"The Notebook," I suggested. He shook his head. "Mean Girls?" Another shake of the head. "Okay, then." I sighed. Has he been living under a rock? Then again, I don't think guys spend their time watching chick flicks like The Notebook or Mean Girls, silly me.

"Thank you anyway," I paid the cute nosy bartender and he then walked away to deal with another customer. Well, that was a close one. I wasn't too keen on being in the spotlight especially regarding surviving one of the most historic events in the past twenty years. God, I feel so old. I was nearing the age of forty, although I don't think I look too bad for my age. I hope.

So there I was, sitting, lightly sipping at my Bay Breeze, minding my own business, when a drunk young woman who was sitting next to me ended up spilling her entire margarita on my lap. All over my expensive white cocktail dress. Fuck.

"Oh my God," the blonde girl who I assumed she just turned twenty-one widened her big blue eyes and sputtered out loudly enough for everyone near us in a slurred fashion, "I am soooooo sorry! I didn't mean-"

"No harm done, it's okay," I assured her, wincing as I felt the sticky liquid dripping down my bare legs and landing in a sloppy mess on my heels.

"Really, I'm sorry! I'm so clumsy, I don't even- hey, haven't I seen you on TV before?" she asked suddenly. I internally groaned.

"Nope," I answered her question as I rose from my stool, the liquid contents creating slush around my feet, "I'll just clean myself up in the restroom," without waiting for the girl's response, I got up and retreated quickly to the bathroom, noticing that I got about half the the restaurant's attention. Just great.

I just about screamed in horror as I stood in front of the bathroom mirror. The girl ordered a Bloody Mary and spilled it all over my lap!

Red and sticky, my white dress was completely stained. This was one of my favorites too, what the hell. Resisting the desirable urge to punch my reflection, I instead went to the sink and focused on washing the syrup off my thighs and legs. The dress was a much bigger problem, I was able to scrub some of the liquid off, but it left a dark pink stain all over my crotch area. At least it wasn't dark enough to look like I just had my period or something. Ugh, every girl's worst nightmare when you're wearing white and you get your period.

I left the bathroom feeling completely frustrated. My now clean heels clicked rhythmically as I headed straight back to the bar.

"Bartender, Cherry Bomb, make it a single," I was in serious need of vodka.

"That's weak," a new voice said next to me, startling me. "Steve, give this woman something stronger, like uh, Stagg, make that a double. Actually, I'll have one of those myself."

"You got it," Steve, the cute bartender said.

I arched my eyebrow, narrowing my eyes at the man who didn't even look to acknowledge me. "Excuse you, I was perfectly happy with a Cherry Bomb. You got a lot of nerve to order me whiskey without my permission."

"Relax, you've obviously had a rough night, you could use something more stimulating than a lame fruity cocktail." He turned to look at me.

Oh my God. My jaw dropped open. I couldn't move or breathe for a long moment.

"Be careful, with your mouth open that wide, you could catch flies," my ex boyfriend had the nerve to say with a smirk.

"Owen," I regained composure, but my face was still clearly in shock. "H-how? What?"

"And hello to you too, Colleen," he laughed, seeming to be in a good mood. "Haven't seen you in like what, nine years?"

"Ten," I corrected.

"Wow, ten years," Owen said as our drinks came. "Thank you, my good man." He then proceeded to pay for both our drinks as I protested. "Colleen, it's not every day you run into your ex girlfriend whom you haven't seen in ten years; it's okay, I can pay for drinks for our little awkward reunion."

I rolled my eyes. "You haven't changed one bit, well personality-wise," I commented as I downed my shot. The whiskey burned my throat and I coughed a bit. Owen chuckled, obviously amused by my sucky drinking technique as he easily drained the amber liquid from his glass in one swift motion.

"Ahh," he breathed out as if he just drank something so refreshing that quenched his thirst. My eye twitched, he always used to show off his drinking skills back then. "So, my personality hasn't changed one bit?" he asked in a normal conversing manner as if we were buddies.

"Unfortunately."

"Hmm, have my looks changed one bit?"

"You're not fat anymore."

"Mmm, that's right."

"You've been working out after we broke up?"

"Why do you sound so surprised?"

"Because you were fat and lazy?"

"Not anymore. I ended up joining the Military," Owen explained, puffing out his chest in pride, like I was supposed to be impressed or something. I'll have to admit though, he really has been working out. His tight blue shirt that he was wearing nicely showed off his toned arms, I could only imagine what would be waiting for me underneath the shirt- wait, what?

"Oh yeah? Which branch?" I asked. As much as I hated to admit it, I was curious.

"Navy," he beamed proudly.

"Wow, well, uh, good for you, Owen," I said, my eyes casting downwards to my ruined dress.

"I saw that," he said without looking at me.

"Come again?" I asked.

"You got a Bloody Mary drink spilled all over you, I saw the whole thing."

"Oh, so you figured you'd buy me a drink because you felt sorry for me, for getting humiliated out there?"

"I bought you a drink because I wanted to," Owen corrected.

"Right," I said slowly, starting to feel a little awkward again.

"Look, I'm sorry," he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, his blue eyes bright and alive in the fluorescent lighting. "I didn't mean to spring myself upon you without warning. I know we didn't exactly leave on good terms and that was entirely my fault," he said sincerely.

"No, it's okay. We were both really young and immature, and what happened in the past, it's in the past," I said with an assuring smile.

"That's what I was thinking," he smiled. He always did have a heart-melting smile. That hasn't changed.

"Yeah, look, um, it's been great," I started to get up from my seat. "But, uh, I really should be heading back."

"Yeah, your husband and kids are probably expecting you," Owen said.

I blushed. "Um no, I don't, uh, I'm not married," I clarified quickly.

"Boyfriend then."

"No boyfriend either," I gave him a tight smile and he rose his eyebrows in disbelief.

"Colleen," he started to say.

"Like I said, it's been great, but I got to get back. My, uh, kids are probably waiting up for me," I said, a bit awkwardly.

"I see," Owen said thoughtfully. "How are the kids?"

"Zach is sixteen and Gray is ten now," I gathered my purse and adjusted it on my shoulder.

"Colleen, I asked how they are, I'm already well aware of their ages."

"They're both good," I provided in a stiff manner.

Owen nodded, a look of guilt flashing on his face before it disappeared.

"Well, it was nice seeing you, under weird circumstances," I wasn't really sure how to end this conversation. Were we supposed to hug each other to be polite? Do we go our separate ways? Should I involve him with my kids life for the first time?

"Yeah, nice seeing you, Colleen," he smiled sweetly.

Not knowing what else to do, I did an awkward wave thing with my fingers and just turned to walk away. I surprised myself by feeling a little disappointed by how our conversation went. A part of me wanted to get him in contact with his sons. I knew for a fact that Gray really wanted a father figure in his life, and I know that Zach secretly does too.

I was about to exit out of Margaritaville when I heard a shout behind me, "Colleen, wait up a moment."

Owen's strong, calloused hand grasped my elbow and I reeled back to face him, noticing the distinct differences in our height. He's always been much taller than me.

"Sorry, um," he immediately released my elbow. "Listen, I don't normally do this, but uh, I'm making an exception. Tomorrow, I'm on duty with the raptors, and I was wondering if maybe you're, uh, sons, would like to see a close-up look of how we train them."

"Wait, what? I'm sorry, you train raptors?" Was I hearing him correctly?

"That's correct."

Wow, he really has changed. A lot.

"I thought you told me you were in the Navy," I pointed out confused.

"Was. Past tense," he clarified.

"Oh... So you train... Raptors... Now?" I asked nervously.

"Look, I know you've told me all about your..." He looked around to make sure no one was listening. I silently thanked him for that, not wanting the attention. "Adventure," he chose his words carefully. "In Jurassic Park and I perfectly understand if you don't want to be in their presence, but I assure you, they're securely locked up, so they can't escape."

"I don't know, Owen," I bit my lip, chewing on it worriedly. "I'm not so sure if that's a good idea-"

"Zach and Gray will be perfectly safe as long as I'm around, I swear it," Owen said confidently.

"What if something bad happened?" I asked.

"If something bad happens, I'll make sure to immediately fix it, one way or another. It's okay, Colleen. I've been working closely with the pack for a few years so just as long as the boys are behaving themselves and not doing anything stupid, they should be fine."

"You're certain?"

"I'm certain."

I thought about it for a moment; I've never been fond of raptors, especially when they're chasing after you, wanting to rip out your insides. I shivered from the terrifying memory.

"I don't know, Owen, this is supposed to be our family vacation-"

"Yeah, about that; I'm surprised you didn't go to Disney World or something. Never in sixty-five million years would I expect to find you in Jurassic World of all places," he crossed his arms, studying me curiously.

"Me either," I admitted. "But it's not that bad so far. No dinosaurs have escaped, so all is well."

"Yeah, you don't have to worry about that here, you'll be fine," Owen smiled.

"Yes," I confirmed suddenly.

"Yes what?" he questioned with an arched eyebrow.

"Yes, I'll bring the boys to see the raptors."

"Excellent," he grinned happily.

"Listen, I'd really appreciate it if you didn't, um, tell them yet..." I asked in a hopeful tone.

"Tell them what... That I'm their real father?"

"Exactly," I winced. I really hope that I didn't sound like a bitch but I didn't want to just spring it upon the boys. Oh lookie, here's the raptors, oh lookie, there is your father, isn't this a wonderful vacation, kids?

"Um, sure. Whatever you want."

I could tell that I kind of upset him and I sighed before explaining, "I'm sorry, I just don't think that would be the right time, you know?"

"I know what you mean, Colleen."

"Thank you," I said relieved.

"Tomorrow at ten," Owen said. "I'll pick up in front of wherever you're staying."

"Jurassic Suites," I supplied.

"Ah, nice." He grinned from ear to ear. "Okay!"

"Okay!" I repeated enthusiastically.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Owen smiled before surprising me by wrapping his big arms around my tiny frame.

"Oh," I accidentally muttered, loud enough for him to hear and he pulled back as if he got shocked.

"Sorry about that, old habits die hard," he said softly.

"Yeah," I giggled- wait ew, did I just giggle? What am I, eighteen years old again? "Alright, well goodnight then."

"Night, Colleen."

First day at Jurassic World, interesting.


	5. Up for Adoption

_**ATTENTION EVERYONE! I have a super-duper important announcement to make…**_

 _As every one of my readers knows, I've been neglecting each of the stories I've created. Well, if you want to hear an explanation; I've simply lost inspiration for a great majority of the fandoms I've been writing for. Times been moving and my life has been changing in lots of different ways; good and bad._

 _So without further ado, I have compromised a solution for all my old stories: I'm putting all of them up for **adoption.**_

* * *

 **Here are a list of my stories that are available for adoption:**

* * *

 _ **Love is like War** _ — _Following the days after her brother's unfortunate passing, Kelly Peterson fights to keep her head held high and continue life for her family's sake. An unexpected visitor shows up, and Kelly is highly suspicious. {david/oc}_ **(Guest, 2014)**

 _ **Champagne for the Pain** _ — _Jack Mercer: first-class fuck-up, third-class rock-star. Lydia Hathaway: first-class bitch, third-class basket-case. Jack/OC_ **(Four Brothers)**

 _ **This Is The End** _ — _Seth Rogen is my best friend. And of course, being his best friend, I decided to help him accompany Jay to another one of James Franco's stupid house-warming parties. Little did I know that the world was coming to an end and here I am, stuck in a house filled with six morons. Fuck my life. Franco/OC_ **(This is the End)**

 _ **Total Eclipse of the Heart** _ — _After a terrible accident costing the lives of the ones she loved most, Bonnie Bennett reluctantly moves to Oregon as the Parker family welcomes her with open arms. There she meets Kai, the outcast of the family. {all human} {bonkai} {90s}_ **(The Vampire Diaries)**

 _ **The Night Is Still Young** _ — _After being challenged to a scavenger hunt, Taylor and Katie are in for the ride of their lives as they travel across the country to Coachella Valley & Arts Festival along with a couple of "male entertainers" they accidentally meet. Richie/OC Ken/OC_ **(Magic Mike)**

 _ **A Twisted Tale** — Sadie Prescott is no stranger to danger._ _{billy/oc/stu}_ **(Scream)**

 _ **You Found Me** _ — _Colleen Grant was one of the original visitors for Jurassic Park over twenty-years ago. After being invited to Jurassic World with her two sons, Zach and Gray, history unfortunately repeats itself._ **(Jurassic Park)**

 _ **Seven Devils** _ — _Six friends embark on a journey from Mystic Falls, Virginia all the way up to Chicago, Illinois for the biggest game of the season. It's supposed to be a fun vacation in celebration of graduation. But it turns out to be fatally worse than they imagine; the group unknowingly steps into the trap of a ghost town, the main attraction being the House of Wax. (AU, AH)._ **(The Vampire Diaries)**

* * *

 ** _Phew! *wipes off sweat* still with me? Now, here are my stories that are complete but no sequels in progress. Let me explain…_**

* * *

 _ **Only Human** _ — _Rose never imagined that she would meet the striking God of Thunder in the New Mexico desert, let alone become good friends with the banished man; and never did she imagine that her best friend, Jane, would strangely fall in love with the mighty Thor. Set during the events of Thor. Future Loki/OC Thor/Jane *COMPLETE*_

 _ **I've successfully finished this fic but never wrote a sequel… If you were a fan of this fic and have a wonderful idea of where Rose's story could've gone, don't hesitate to send me a PM.**_

* * *

 _ **Here are my Hangover fanfics that I've completed:**_

* * *

 _ **Raise Your Glass** _ — _Four best friends: Paige, Jamie, Connie, and Zoey decide to spend their weekend in Vegas for a kick-ass birthday. When the four girls meet the infamous wolf pack, they will experience the most insane, memorable journey of their lives. Phil/OC Stu/OC Alan/OC *COMPLETE*_

 _ **Wild Ones** _ — _Two years has passed since the unforgettable incident in Vegas. Now, the wolf pack is off to Thailand for Stu and Jamie's wedding. But what happens when they get thrown in a familiar loop similar to Vegas? Join Phil, Paige, Stu, Jamie, Alan, and Connie as they work together to find Zoey's little brother and try to make it back in time for the wedding. *COMPLETE*_

 _ **I've finished the two fics that take place in the course of the first and second movie, but never wrote for the third movie.**_

* * *

 _ **OKIE-DOKIE! All the stories I've listed above are up for adoption like I've said several times. It pains me to do this but I've realized that it's not fair to many of my readers who've waited for me, some patient, some not.**_

 _ **If you're interested in adopting one of my fics, please do PM me and we can discuss further details from then on.**_

 _ **I thank everyone for having the patience to read this awfully long and bittersweet message…**_

 _ **P.S. I'm not permanently finished with fan fiction. I do plan on starting new with fresh stories and ideas.. especially during the summer time.**_


End file.
